Bill > HB1570

This bill expands collective bargaining rights to certain non-academic student employees at Western Washington University who are enrolled in academic or certificate programs, adding them to the existing framework of chapter 41.56 RCW, which governs labor relations for public employees. The bill specifies various job titles that would be covered, such as advertising assistants, resident advisors, and program support staff, and clarifies that these employees are considered enrolled in a program during academic breaks if they are employed by the university during those times and were enrolled in the preceding or subsequent academic term. Importantly, this expansion of collective bargaining rights does not apply to employees already covered by other collective bargaining laws or those specifically excluded from bargaining under existing statutes. The bill also defines the scope of bargaining for these student employees, excluding matters like academic requirements, tuition amounts (though tuition remission and waivers are negotiable), the academic calendar, and class admission numbers, while generally limiting compensation increases to legislative appropriations, with an exception allowing the university to provide additional compensation beyond legislative limits.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Labor and Employment

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1570&Year=2025&Initiative=false